San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-04-13

there, while Lady Anna sat writing page
after page at her weary old davenport on
the other side Of the room.
The girl looked up smiling as he drew
near; and, speaking in low voice 30 as
not to disturb Lady Anna at her letters,
he asked her somewhat reproachfully
why she had 30 soon deserted the pig
cons, intimating also that he had hoped to
bear her company for little while in the
moonlight.
aThat was why came in" sibyl said
simply.
She did not think evidently of putting
her work out Of his sight. Hers was the
modesty that looks man straight in the
eyes, not the nIodesty that DROPS its lids
under his gaze.
"Were you so anxious to avoid me y
Mark rejoined, growing stiff again-he
was young and easily huffed.
"Yes. Aunt Anna and l had talk
about you before supper; and we agreed
that had better begin as meant to go
on"
"But why should you mean to on with
such unkindness, Miss Kennedy" He
had dropped into chair close to her ell
bow, and was leaning forward on his arms
and looking at her as she sewed.
"You must not think it is unkindness,"
the girl answered smiling, and holding
out her hand for the scissors with which
he was playing. "Aunt Anna says il is
only prudence; and think she is right
as she always is, of course. You know
that am sixteen now, and, though l an
very fond of running and jumping, and
whistling sometimes, i know that other
girls of my age sit still, so l must learn
to do it too"
"But that need not prevent you from
showing me the pigeons surely3"
"No"-dou btfully; "but it is the same
sort of thing as used to do with the boys.
Don't you understand And you can see
the pigeons just as well by yourself while
do my work"
"What funny little things you are max
ingw Mark said, pretending to inspect
her work for the first time. He wanted to
see Sibyrs eyes again, and, if possible, to
make her blush little. He was not used
to being treated so carelessly by young
ladies'.
They are baby clothes" Sibyl explain
ed, going on TRANQUILITY with the little fan
mel petticoat she was patching, ''for our
poor women in the village"
She did not blush at all, or look at him J
and little pause ensued.
But" Mark began then, "wouldnt you
rather be QUIT is such heavenly eve
ning-than sitting in here over this sort
thing"
~ have been out all the morning; and
somebody must do the mending. Aunt
Anna has her Indian letters to write this
evening"
"If l were one of the boys" hazarded
Mark, little Grossly. 81 suppose you
would not refuse to come outY"
And then Sibyl did raise her eyes, and
searched his face with the pretty sur
prise he had already called up more than
once.
II have not refused" she said. "You
did not ask me-"
81 thought you understood, of course,
how much l should like you to show me
the gardens and the pigeons"
"But l did not. thought you only
wanted to know why would not show
them to you. l am afraid"-laughing,
and shaking her sweet little fair head
"you viii often think me very stupid; but
the boys always spoke so plainly that l
have got into the way of expecting people
to say exactly what they mean"
ture. And l will begin at once, to show
you how much have taken your lesson
to heart. Ahem! Miss Kennedy, l am
beginning to feel very jealous of these alb
sent heroes, and l am exceedingly desi-
rous Of sharing few of their privileges"
II cont quite understand" replied
sibyl, hesitating, though smile was
frightening her serious brown eyes. "And
really Mr.. Breton. don't think Won do
yourself, though, | am sure Won mean TO
be good-natured."
ut is so very hard to understand" said
Mark, dropping his voice little, shat I
should want to walk with you in the NOON
lightR"
"No-oh, no, can understand that, be-
cause l like walking in the moonlight
myself! But have told you already that
aunt Anna thinks l had better not go
about with you quite as much as 1 used
to with the others. And, besides, l have
been turning it over in my own mind too,
and I really could not treat you like boy
you are quite differentw
"DifferentH Taller, do you mean, or
what3"
"Oh, older in every way! l did not
think so at first; but l see it now. You
looked so thoughtful, almost miserable at
supper; and you did not eat very much.
Dick and Fred were always hungry-like
! amp
Mark could not help laughing; but,
suddenly remembering the cause of his
gloomy looks, and lack of appetite, he
sighed too.
perhaps, Miss Kennedy" he said, get
ting up and relarsing into his Edgar-of-
Ravenswood manner, ''you will understand
one day what am suffering, and then you
will not wonder that / sometimes look as
/ feel-very wretched~
He walked off with his good-looking
young head in the air; and Sibyl, consid-
erably astonished, as well as interested,
looked after him, letting her work fall in
to her lap.
1t was not often that Mark found time
for even such little talks as this. Sibyl
had a great deal to do in the VILLAGE ey-